Little Cooking Tips - 1 hour

And before we even realize it, it’s almost Christmas! We have been trying to publish this post for days; we prepared the photos, tested the recipe to make the proper measurements and adjustments, wrote most of the text and then….we had to pause: the workload at the office, for both of us, was immense. Instead of getting in the mood for the Holiday Season, we had to deal with various urgent (they’re always urgent aren’t they?) issues. Moreover, we got a bit sick from flu! So, we are posting this right before Christmas, instead of 10 days before. Hopefully, though, you’ll be able to try this recipe in the Holiday Season. If not, it’s still a popular recipe all year round.

Diples: a delicious recipe for sweet fried dough

The recipe we are posting this Holiday Season is the one for Diples. Diples (pronounced thee-ples) is a traditional, festive dessert, that’s mostly served at the Peloponnese but is also popular thought Greece. A similar variation in Crete is called Kserotigana (meaning fried until dry). The word diples literally means “folds”, because one folds a thin sheet of dough while it’s being fried in a pan. Diples are very popular during Christmas but are also served at weddings, baptisms or other celebrations.

We got the idea for posting a recipe for diples, a couple of weeks back. You see, we had a one-day excursion to the Greek country, in the area of the Peloponnese (in Arcadia). It was a winter’s day, and we enjoyed watching the landscape changing colors, to darker shades and the weather getting colder and colder. We stopped by a local bakery, and saw a tray filled with golden diples, dipped in honey and sprinkled with lots of cinnamon and crushed walnuts. Of course we bought a few and immediately told each other that we should share our version on the blog! :)

Our Diples version

Our version for diples is the easiest one. We’ll show you how to make the dough and how to fry them in simple, rectangle-shaped strips. We won’t mess with actually folding the strips in the pan, as this takes quite a bit of practice and it would be hard for someone who never tried diples before to understand how to make them through a blog post.

So, this is the simplest version. The dough is the same –of course- we use in the folded diples as well; the only difference is that we won’t fold them. We’ll make delicious, crusty sheets of fried dough, scented with cinnamon and orange. In our version diples look a bit like Mexican Buñuelos. Only they are rectangle-shaped and not round. The process for making them is also similar to Buñuelos, so if you tried them before, you ‘ll easily follow the instructions in this recipe.

We won’t use ouzo, which is a liquor often used in diples. We want this recipe to be alcohol-free so that your children can enjoy it as well. We remember ourselves as kids, running to the countertop to get some of the diples that had been just prepared by our moms.

Little cooking tips for making great diples

The key to making perfect diples is to roll the dough out, really thin. The thickness should be 2 mm – 1/16in or less. This way, when we fry our little strips of dough, they’ll become crispy and stay this way in the next days (if you manage not to eat them all in the same day– for us at least it’s hard LOL).

Another important factor for making great crispy diples is the syrup. The syrup should be a bit thick and is always scented with cinnamon and quite often with orange zest as well. You must not dip the fried diples in the syrup for too long though. They are usually dipped in the syrup, after they cool down, for just one second. Keep in mind that the fried dough should be cooled down to room temperature and the syrup should always be hot.

If you plan to serve them on the next day, then you can fry the dough, and keep the diples strips in an open container. On the next day, you can make the syrup, dip them in it while hot, and then serve them, drizzling with lots of honey and crushed walnuts. If you don’t have enough time, then you can also make the syrup a day ahead, and warm it up in order to dip the diples in it, before you serve them.

Please never keep the diples in your fridge. They will become soggy. Diples are kept in a humid-free place of your house, uncovered. If you want to cover them, then use a simple cheesecloth or tulle; something that allows the air to circulate.

What we love about them

One of the best things about diples, is that they really easy to make. They are also really affordable, a peasants dessert, made with inexpensive materials: flour, eggs, sugar, honey, and cinnamon are the main ingredients.

Another thing we love about them is that you can easily make them a day ahead, and make some syrup (or warm up a ready one) and serve them on the next day. This makes them perfect for celebrations when you have a ton of things to do.

Moreover: who doesn’t like fried dough?!:) From churros (Mexico) to loukoumades (Greece), from beignets (France) to doughnuts (USA) and from rosettes (Sweden) to banh ran (Vietnam), it seems that sweet fried dough is a universal favorite. Diples are delicious thin sheets of fried dough, with a thin layer of cinnamon and orange-scented syrup: could you resist that? The honey and the crushed walnuts add extra texture and aroma. So when your teeth crack through the crispy dough, you get all these flavors in a single bite, the honey fills your mouth, and you can’t wait to get to the next bite and devour as many diples as you can:)

Along with melomakarona, kourabiedes and Vasilopita, diples is one the most desired desserts during the Holiday Season in Greek households. That is why we included them on our list of Greek comfort foods.

So let’s see how to make these amazing festive treats!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

- 250g / 9oz / 0.55lb (2 cups), all-purpose flour, sifted
- 15g / 0.5oz (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 2g / 0.08oz (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1.5g salt / 0.05oz (1/4 teaspoon) salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-5g / 0.15oz (about 1 tablespoon) orange zest
- vegetable oil for frying (sunflower seed, corn, soybean or canola oil)
- coarsely ground walnuts, ground cinnamon, and honey for serving

For the syrup:

- 280g / 10oz (1 1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 250ml (1 cup) water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5g / 0.15oz (about 1 tablespoon) orange zest
- 45ml (3 tablespoons) fresh orange juice (about half an orange, juiced)
- 112g / 4oz (1/3 cup) honey

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Preparation:

For the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add all the dry ingredients (pic. 1): the flour, the sugar, the baking powder and the salt. Mix well with a spoon.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, just add the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the beaten eggs to the dry ingredients (pic. 2).

Add the orange juice (pic. 3) and the vanilla extract (pic. 4).

Add the orange zest (pic. 5). Start your mixer at a low speed (1/3) and let it incorporate everything and knead the dough for about 4 minutes (pic. 6). The dough is ready once it has come together and holds its shape, without sticking to the bowl. If you don’t have a stand mixer, then mix everything together by hand and knead for 5-6 minutes until you get a smooth and only slightly-sticking result.
Note: Depending on the flour you used and the volume of the eggs, the dough may be a bit sticky. If it’s too sticky, to the point that you can’t work with it (e.g. it sticks all over your floured hands), add a tablespoon or two of flour and knead for a few seconds.

Shape into a ball, and cover with plastic (pic. 7). Let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour (we recommend 4-6 or overnight for better results). After the dough has rested, place on lightly floured surface. Lightly dust the dough with flour as well (pic. 8).

Divide it into two or four balls (pic. 9) with a dough scraper. Roll a ball out thin (with flour-dusted rolling pin). Try to shape into a rectangle (pic. 10). The thickness of the rolled out dough must be 2mm or less (about 1/16in).
Note: You can also use a pasta maker to roll the dough into thin sheets.

Using a pasta/dough cutter, cut the excess dough, in order to give your sheet a rectangular shape. Then cut the sheet into 10-15cm X 5-7cm / 4-5in X 2-3in rectangle strips (pic.11, pic. 12).

Place each strip on a damp towel (pic. 13), to keep it moist and prevent it from sticking. Continue with rolling out the next ball of dough. Repeat the process until all the dough is cut into strips. Put a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 4-5cm/2in of oil. To check if the oil is hot enough, you can use a small piece of dough (pic. 14).

If it rises to the surface and starts bubbling gently (pic. 15), then the oil is hot enough to fry the diples strips. Gently place a few strips (never more than 2 or 3) in the pan (pic. 16). Fry for about 1 minute, flipping once halfway through, using two forks, until golden. Depending on the oil used and how hot it is, you may even need less than a minute, so keep an eye to check if they’re crispy and golden.

Transfer each fried strip (dipla) to paper towel-lined plates to drain the excess oil (pic. 17). You might need more than one because you should not stack them on top of each other but rather next to each other. Let them cool completely. Place all of them on a plate (pic. 18).

For the syrup:

Start making the syrup: Add the sugar, the water, the cinnamon stick, the orange zest and the orange juice in a small or medium pot/saucepan (pic. 19). Place over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it starts simmering, lower the heat to low and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Remove from heat and add the honey (pic. 20). Stir to dissolve.

Using tongs (pic. 21), dip each fried dipla strip into the hot syrup for just 1 second (pic. 22). You just want them to get coated in syrup, so don’t let them stay in it for long or they’ll become soft and mushy (which is the opposite of the desired consistency for diples).

Place in a large plate, in layers, adding ground walnuts, cinnamon and honey in each layer, according to your liking.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. If you don’t plan to serve immediately, it’s better to keep the syrup aside or in the fridge and not dip the diples in it. Then, right before serving the, you can warm it up and dip the diples strips in it. This way, they’ll stay more crispy.
2. Do not store diples in the fridge or they’ll become mushy.
3. Keep prepared diples in a plate or an open container and cover with cheesecloth if you have to (we often store them in the oven before serving them ourselves). High humidity is their worst enemy.
4. You can make the dough a day ahead and the syrup as well, and simply warm the syrup up, for dipping the diples, before serving them. Do not store either in the fridge before this (or after!).
5. We find that the best way to make diples is to make the dough and fry the diples first and then prepare the syrup. This way, the syrup is still hot when the fried diples have cooled down.
6. You can also serve diples sprinkling with a little powdered sugar along with ground cinnamon.
7. Keep the excess dough you cut when giving the sheet a rectangular shape. Knead all the scraps into a ball and make a few more strips in the end.

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Mediterranean oven baked fish with tomato sauce and paprika

littlecookingtips — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 03:47:11 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

405

Servings:

serves 4

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

Is it really October?

It’s early October as we’re writing this post, and looking back, with the exception of short periods of rain, the last month has been practically another summer month. It takes a while for Autumn to get here. Lots of sunshine, high temps and people rushing to the beaches, especially on the weekends, to get some comfort.

In the last few days though, the temperature dived about 10 degrees, and now we all feel that it’s really October. Lower temps mean we can concentrate easier on things we enjoy at home. One of them is cooking. Another is blogging. Like we’re happily doing now.

Visit to Epidaurus

One of the things we especially enjoyed this summer, was a daily visit to Ancient Epidaurus. It’s one of the places we always wanted to visit, that’s also close to Athens, but for some strange reason, we never had so far.

So, at the beginning of our summer vacation, one morning we woke up early, had a small breakfast and drove to Epidaurus. After using the highway, there’s a hilltop road (paved of course) for about an hour, but the scenery with the olive trees and then the pine trees make the trip enjoyable. The day that we visited was windy, which was great, as it helped us to cope with the high temps.

Arriving at Ancient Epidaurus, we bought a ticket which is valid for visiting everything at the site. We visited the Ancient Theatre, which is still operational today, with performances every summer and thousands of spectators.

The theatre can accommodate up to 15.000 spectators and was constructed in the 4th century BC. The amazing thing about this site is the unique acoustics. The theatre is constructed in such a way that one can hear perfectly what the actors say on the stage, regardless of one’s sitting and without using amplifiers.

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Near the theatre, there’s a wide flat place with many ruins. In these ruins one can see what’s left of the walls of the -once glorious- Asclepeion. The Asclepeion was a sanctuary devoted to the healer-god Asclepius, son of Apollo. It was a sacred and highly spiritual place, where ill people came to get advice for their ailments. Healing mineral springs nearby were believed to help one cure and the priests guided and helped the sick with various practices.

At its height, there were so many people visiting, that they also built a huge restaurant/banquet hall, called hestiatoreion (to this day the word means restaurant in Greek) with a majestic entrance, right next to the Asclepeion, to feed all the visitors. If you’re following us on Instagram you might’ve seen our relative Story :)

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Finally, we visited the marbles and the statues in the Museum. It was a great collection, and we loved reading ancient Greek and understanding some of the sentences. So wonderful to be able to communicate through time with the people who lived there thousands of years ago, isn’t it? The building of the Museum was rather outdated though; definitely, needs a renovation and lights. We hope someone will take a look at this at some point.

Sun and sea

After spending a few days in Athens (we also visited the Zoo which is close to the Athens airport and had a lot of fun!), of course, we went to Evia, to visit our favorite Aegean beaches and enjoy the garden of Panos’ parent's house in the country.

We went to Korasida, Cheromylos and of course, Mourteri/Agios Merkourios. These three beaches are among our favorites, and we try and visit them every year. Especially the last one, which is a 5km long beach, with very few visitors, so you can enjoy the sea without any noise or people close to you if looking for a calm place. The first half of the beach is called Mourteri, and the second half is called Agios Merkourios. A cliff divides the beach in two, separating the more touristically developed Mourteri from, the more deserted, but calmer Agios Merkourios.

When we want to visit these beaches, we keep an eye on the weather, to see which days the winds are not so strong, as these beaches are exposed to northern winds, and there are a lot of waves on windy days. If you ever visit Evia and want to swim there, here’s a tip: a great indication for the waves is the weather of Kymi ( a nearby town). Also, always visit early in the morning when the winds are low.

This summer we used a lot our diving masks and snorkels. This way, we had a lot of fun observing the amazing marine flora and fauna in the area. The waters on the Aegean side of Evia are crystal clear, and you can see beautiful cuttlefish on the sandy or pebble bottom, shells, shellfish, and sea urchins on rocks; and of course, a plethora of fish :) It was truly magical diving in these blue waters.

The organic garden

As we mentioned many times before, one of the things we love about visiting Evia is the fact that Panos’ parents have a big organic garden there. Even though during the summer people don’t cook as much as in the winter, there’s so much produce there, you can’t help it trying out new recipes, new ways to enjoy it.

As you have probably guessed, we made countless Greek salads, fried huge stacks of zucchini fritters, dipped them in tons of tzatziki, baked pans and pans with gemista, had a lot of kagianas for breakfast or lunch, made moussaka when in need for comfort food, used the eggplants with pasta or made melitzanosalata and went on and on. We couldn’t and wouldn’t stop, as long as there was produce in the baskets :)

What we wouldn’t use, we sliced, grated, chopped and did whatever necessary to preserve for the winter. So now our freezer is full of in-season-out-of-season frozen produce. :) And that’s a great practice for everyone, in order to enjoy tasty veggies. Buy them when in-season, and especially when on sale, chop or grate and freeze in ziplock bags. This way, you can make a magnificent marinara in the middle of the winter, with the flavors of an August’s tomato. Isn’t that great?

In the evenings, we loved sitting on our veranda to enjoy a cantaloupe, a watermelon, some apricots or peaches, and -in late August- some grapes and figs. Figs are so awesome. If you never had them before, buy a few when in season and eat fresh, preferably on the same day. You really have to try them: soft and silky on the outside, with dark red, soft flesh on the inside and crunchy tiny edible seeds. Just cut one in quarters and put it on some Greek yogurt. Drizzle then with honey: heaven! It’s the perfect dessert, plus it’s super healthy!

One pan baked fish

During the summer, people don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. That’s understandable, with all the outdoor activities one can enjoy during the season. So, one pan, easy recipes, are a perfect choice. Since we shared our summer memories in this post, we thought we should share one of the one pan recipes that only need a few minutes to prepare. Plus now that it’s October, you probably have a ton of things to do on weekdays, right?

And this is one of the easiest fish recipes out there. A dump and bake, one-pan baked fish that we make very often on weekdays, when the time is precious, being busy with all day-to-day activities and our household.

Fish is a great source of lean protein, and also contains a lot of heart-healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids) that are good for one's heart. So, pairing it with a vinaigrette lettuce salad or brown rice it makes for a complete, filling AND healthy meal. Isn’t that great?

As mentioned, one of the things we love about this baked fish recipe is that it’s very easy and therefore convenient. You don’t need a lot of prep time. You simply turn on the oven, prepare the onion and the tomato, mix the ingredients for the sauce, dump it in a pan, dip the fish steaks in it and then lay them over and bake. As simple as that! And while it’s baking, you can prepare the salad or the rice (or both).

We call this recipe “Mediterranean fish” and not “Greek fish”, even though it does contain ingredients used it the Greek cuisine, just like in this very old “fish plaki” recipe on the blog (Please excuse us for the terrible photo, it was published years ago when we first started blogging LOL).

The reason for not calling this recipe “Greek”, is the secret ingredient: smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is a classic ingredient in the Spanish cuisine, not the Greek one. It’s a spice we love to use in many of our recipes (like in mac 'n cheese for instance), and has a very distinct, unique flavor. You can also use smoked Hungarian paprika, of course, that’s equally delicious; whichever is available around your area.

The type of fish we suggest using in this recipe is any large white fish. Fish steaks or fish fillets cut into large pieces would both work excellent. We have tried this with cod, haddock, swordfish and large sea breams. You can use whichever you prefer or is on sale. The sauce will provide all the flavor in this recipe, so don’t hesitate to buy a cheaper, more affordable piece of white fish.

Frozen fish steaks work well too, but make sure to thaw them properly. Place them (covered with film) in a bowl in your fridge, and let them thaw for up to 24 hours. Then rinse, and pat dry with kitchen towels. You will need a lot of towels, as frozen fish is watery. But it will work just as well as fresh. Perhaps it will take a little time more to bake, that’s all.

The combination of the smoked paprika with the extra virgin olive oil and the oregano is amazing. Plus, adding a good wine will enhance the flavors, creating a delicious dish. Make sure to dribble some of the juices from the pan on top of the fish when serving it. And a little extra virgin olive oil as well.

So, let’s see how you can make this easy fish in the oven!

Ingredients:

- 3-4 fish steaks or fish fillets (cod, haddock, swordfish) cut into large pieces, about 1Kg / 2lb
- 1 medium sized tomato, 250-300gr / 9-10oz
- 1 medium-sized onion, 130-160gr / 4.5-5.5oz, finely chopped or sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon paprika, preferably smoked
- salt, pepper
- a little finely chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

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Preparation:

Rinse and pat dry your fish steaks (or fillets). If using frozen fish, thaw in the fridge for 24hours, and then pat dry with a lot of kitchen towels, as it’s quite watery. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of each steak.

Grate the tomato (pic. 1) and strain it, using a fine sieve (pic. 2) to remove some of the water.

Add the tomato in a large bowl and add the olive oil (pic. 3) and the wine (pic. 4).

Add the thyme, the oregano and the paprika (pic. 5), salt and pepper, the onion and the garlic (pic. 6).

Mix well with a spoon (pic. 7) and empty the bowl’s contents in a baking dish, large enough to accommodate your fish steaks (pic. 8).

Press each fish steak into the sauce, flip and lay on top (pic. 9). The steaks will look like the ones in the pic.10.

Bake in a convection oven, at 200C / 390F for 30-40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steaks and whether they’re fresh or frozen and thawed – in which case they’re usually waterier).

The fish is ready when most of the liquid has evaporated. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to absorb the flavors of the surrounding gravy.

Serve with a simple vinaigrette-lettuce salad or rice. You can also serve this with French fries, if not looking for a healthier option :) Dribble the juices and some extra virgin olive oil on top for extra flavor.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. As mentioned, if using frozen fish, thaw for 24 hours in a bowl in the fridge and then pat dry with kitchen towels. Makes sure it’s dry enough, as frozen fish tends to be watery.

2. You can use cod, haddock, swordfish, sea bream or any other firm white flesh fish for this dish. Skip tuna or salmon in this recipe.

3. Try to get some high quality smoked paprika for this. It will define the flavor of the dish. You can use it in countless other recipes as well: in stews, to rub chicken or steaks for grilling, you can sprinkle it with salt on fries, you can use it in dips/sauces …you get the picture :)

4. You can try this dish with fresh, finely chopped fennel fronds (or dill) and skip the thyme, the oregano, and the paprika. It’s a different, equally delicious variation that’s better served with French fries.

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How to make Pastitsio: The Greek Lasagna Casserole

littlecookingtips — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 20:50:03 +0000

Photo and text by Mirella Kaloglou and Panos Diotis.

Calories (per serving):

803

Servings:

serves 10-12

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

2 hours

What a winter! The period of unusually cold weather we’re experiencing this year, which has started before the Christmas season, isn’t like anything we encountered before. The snow storm Ariadne hit Greece hard in January, with heavy snowfalls, even at sea level. The temperatures plummeted for days, even in the islands(!), with snow up to 2m/6.5ft in depth in some places, like Evia.

So, when the storm passed, one of the best places to explore was Steni, a mountain village in Evia, within a quick drive from Athens. We wanted to see first-hand how much snow there was and explore nature as well.

When we arrived, the first images of winter scenery in the village were a testament to the serious problems the snow storm must’ve caused to the people living there. We went to Evia 15 days after the storm had passed and even then, there was a lot of frozen snow in the streets. The main roads however, were clear, so people could reach the island’s main city (Halkida) for provisions.

We had our morning coffee at a cute little café in the village, to warm ourselves up, and then started driving towards the top of the mountain. We wanted to see if we could reach the top, which is about 1800m/6000ft high, but couldn’t do it, due to the fog, snow and ice. The road was very slippery and narrow at places.

So, we took some pictures around the fir trees and the snow, enjoyed the scenery and went back to the village which was about 600m/2000ft down from the place we stopped for pictures. We bought some local honey and fresh artisan bread from the village’s old bakery to bring with us back to Athens. Both were excellent quality and we enjoyed them with a little butter in the next morning, to really appreciate the flavors.

With all this cold weather outside, the timing was perfect for the ultimate Greek comfort food: Pastitsio! What is pastitsio? It’s the Greek version of lasagna; an extremely delicious, rich baked meat and pasta casserole, with creamy sauce and cheese! Need we say more?

The word pastitsio, probably comes from the Italian pasticcio, a very similar pasta casserole that’s very popular around the Mediterranean. The Greek version has three layers: pasta, ground beef sauce (usually scented with a little cinnamon) and a top layer of creamy, cheesy sauce (we call it béchamel here, but it’s actually Mornay).

The pasta used in pastitsio is usually a long tubular macaroni. A slightly thinner version of this is bucatini. People abroad however, also make this dish with ziti, rigatoni or even penne, as long tubular pasta is a bit harder to find sometimes. In this recipe we’ll use the traditional macaroni, but feel free to try the dish with any of the aforementioned pasta.

Two of the main ingredients for this dish are the cheese and the eggs. Both of those help in binding the pasta, the meat and the sauce together. Also, when in room temperature, the top layer becomes thick like custard, just like in moussaka, the other popular Greek casserole. In order to help the sauce on top stay in its place, we have a small tip to share here as well: we keep some of the boiled and drained pasta aside; a handful of two will suffice. Then, we add them at the top, right above the meat sauce, and pour the béchamel cream over. The pasta added here, helps holding the sauce in place when everything is baked together.

Pastitsio is made with traditional Greek cheeses. Most people use kefalotyri. A sharp and salty hard cheese, made from sheep’s milk. Don’t worry though; if it’s not available at your area, you can use Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheeses instead. The result is equally delicious.

If having to cook three layers sounds a bit confusing or hard, don’t worry. We’ll provide you with handy step-by-step pictures to make things easy. Making pastitsio needs a little time and effort, but the dish is definitely worth it! Put it on the menu for a Sunday meal with friends or family and it’ll be a huge hit.

If you want to save some time, you can make the meat sauce ahead. The meat sauce requires most of your attention, and we often prepare it a day before. This way, we only have to boil and drain the pasta and prepare the béchamel sauce the day we bake the pastitsio. It’s a lot easier this way!

You can also assemble the pastitsio a day ahead, put it in the fridge and then simply bake it right before dinner. Another option is to cook this dish ahead, baking and everything, and then store it in the fridge, covered with film; in this case simply reheat in a convection oven for 20-25 minutes (at 160C/320F) on the next day.

When you take the dish out of the oven, the smell will make it irresistible to cut right into it. You must resist the temptation though and allow it to cool down, before cutting into pieces. Let it cool down for at least 30 minutes. This way cutting the pieces will be easier and the temperature will be just right to enjoy it.

So let’s see the recipe for an authentic Greek pastitsio.

Ingredients:

For the meat sauce:

- 1kg / 34oz / 2lb ground beef*
- 250g / 9oz (2-3 medium sized) onions, finely chopped
- 400g / 14oz (about 2) tomatoes, grated**
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
- 180ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
- 125ml (1/2 cup) red wine***
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated****
- 1/4 teaspoon (a pinch) ground cinnamon
- salt, pepper

*You can also use ground turkey for a leaner version or ground lamb for a more authentic flavor. You can mix ground beef with ground lamb or beef with pork as well.
** You can also use canned crushed tomatoes
*** You can also use white wine or even cider.
**** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

For the pasta:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1lb long macaroni or bucatini*
- 3 egg whites, lightly beaten (you will use the yolks in the béchamel below)
- 90g / 3oz (3/4 stick) butter, unsalted
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated**

*You can also use rigatoni or ziti or penne.
** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

For the béchamel (mornay) sauce:

- 200g / 7oz (1 3/4 sticks) butter, unsalted in room temperature
- 140g / 5oz flour, all-purpose
- 1.5lt (6 cups) milk, room temperature
- 3 egg yolks
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated**
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt, pepper

** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

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Preparation:
Start by making the meat sauce. This is the part that requires most of your attention. You can make this a day before and store in the fridge if you want to save some time.

Add the olive oil in a large saucepan/skillet or a medium sized pot and place over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions (pic. 1) and stir until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the ground meat (pic. 2) and stir. Try to break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until most of the moisture is evaporated.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, the cinnamon, salt and pepper (pic. 3). Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until it gets a bit dry (pic. 4).

Add the wine (pic. 5). Continue cooking for 2 minutes more and then add the grated tomatoes (pic. 6). Cook for 8-10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick.

Remove from heat, add the cheese (pic. 7) and give it a final stir to incorporate. Have a taste to check for seasoning, and set aside. Remove the eggs, the milk and the butter from the fridge. Separate the yolks from the egg whites. Butter a large, deep 36x28cm / 14x11in baking pan (pic. 8) or a similar in volume, large baking pan.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, for 2 minutes less than the package instructions.

Drain and transfer to the baking pan, keeping a handful (or two) of pasta aside (pic. 9), for the top layer (this is optional but we recommend it). Add the egg whites, the butter and the cheese (pic. 10) to the pasta and mix. Spread the pasta evenly in the pan. Preheat the oven at 170C/340F (in convection oven - fan assisted baking).

Layer the meat sauce on top of the pasta (pic. 11) and spread evenly (pic. 12).

Make the béchamel sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium sized pot (or a deep saucepan), over medium heat (pic. 13). Add the flour (pic. 14), whisking continuously.

You will make a thick paste (pic. 15). Slowly add the milk (pic. 16), little by little, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue whisking slowly and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Remove from heat and add the cheese (pic. 17), the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks (pic. 18), while whisking vigorously.

Spread the smal ammount of pasta you kept aside, on top of the meat (pic. 19). Spread the béchamel sauce, evenly, on top (pic. 20). You can also sprinkle a little more cheese or breadcrumbs over the top, but that’s entirely optional (pic. 21).

Bake in the middle rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the oven. Remove, allow it to cool down for at least 30 minutes, cut into pieces and serve.

Kali Oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can make the meat sauce 1-2 days ahead, store it in the fridge and warm it up (or simply bring it to room temperature) before using it in the pastitsio.

2. Feel free to try other types of ground meat as well, like lamb or turkey (or mixes of ground meat).

3. You can try making pastitsio with a variety of pasta and cheeses. Feel free to adjust the flavors according to your liking.

4. If you prepare this meal a day ahead, store in the fridge (covered with film) and reheat in a conventional oven for 25 minutes (at 170C/340F) the next day.

5. You can add more crushed tomatoes (up to twice the proposed quantity here) if you like the meat layer to be saucier.

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Greek New Year's lucky cake (Vasilopita)

littlecookingtips — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 16:41:01 +0000

Photo and text by Mirella Kaloglou and Panos Diotis.

Calories (per serving):

291

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

It’s been very chilly in Athens this December. Usually, the first month of the winter is mild here in southern Greece, with lots of sunshine and nice temperatures, up to 19C/66F. This year though things are different; freezing temperatures and cold winds are the key characteristics of the weather. Most mornings and nights, everything is covered in frost.

This wouldn’t stop us of course from enjoying a walk in nature and the warmth the sun has to offer. Even in winter however, there’s a lot of produce to look forward to. We harvested the last of the olives in the last month and the last of the pomegranates. Now it’s the lemon and orange trees’ turn to offer their gifts. In fact they are so many that we have to pick them almost every day or so. Of course since there are a lot of them, we share them with friends and family and use them in countless recipes.

The recipe we’re posting here is one of them. Scented with orange zest, it’s the cake we bake every holiday season for the New Year’s eve: Vasilopita (Saint Basil’s pie). Every family in Greece celebrates the arrival of the New Year by serving this right after midnight. A few seconds before the clock strikes twelve, it is also the custom to turn the lights off in the house to let go of the old year in darkness, and celebrate the arrival of the new one at twelve by turning the lights back on! At this point everyone wishes “Happy New Year, with lots of Health” to everyone (yes; everyone has to wish “happy new year” to everyone who’s present in the household at the moment). It’s a wonderful tradition and perhaps the most popular one here.

The tradition of cutting the Vasilopita cake is not the only popular one though; there’s a lot more customs, some of which are centuries old: the smashing of the pomegranate, the hanging of the squill bulb (a large onion) on the door and the podariko (the lucky first entrance into the household). Since all of these are quite interesting, and very popular, we’d love to share a few details about them.

First, the smashing of the pomegranate: since ancient times, pomegranates are symbolizing prosperity and fertility, because each fruit contains a lot of seeds. So after midnight, when the New Year has arrived, each household has to “sacrifice” a pomegranate by smashing it right in front of the main entrance of the house. After the “Happy New Year” wishes, all the guests and the family members are stepping out of the house for this custom. It’s a great honor for a family member or a guest to smash the pomegranate, as the one who smashes it, has the “responsibility” to scatter as many seeds as possible in order to bring good fortune for the household.

Hanging a large wild onion (squill bulb) on the front door: this custom is truly thousands of years old. Since Pythagoras, back in the 6th century BC, onions have been hanging on Greek front doors, for good luck, health and prosperity. Why is that? Well, onions have the ability to sprout and rebirth, even though they are uprooted. It’s a symbol of strength and resilience and therefore this custom survived to this day. Of course after the New Year, the onion is removed from the door and it’s placed somewhere inside (usually a warehouse) to keep for good luck.

The podariko: the custom of the First Footer. Right after midnight, the first person to enter the house is supposed to bring good or bad fortune. So usually if a year turns out to be bad, this person will not be selected for the custom again:) If the year turns out to be a good one, this person will become the most popular in for this tradition, and will be selected again and again to perform the First Footer custom. It’s supposed to be all about the positive energy and the generous feelings this person brings into the household. That’s why it’s quite often to select a child to enter the house first, as children are pure, innocent and good hearted. It’s very important to enter the house with the right foot first. The right side is supposed to be the blessed side. So everyone shouts “me to deksi!” (Meaning with the right one) to remind the person performing the custom that he must not forget to enter with the right foot.

However, the custom that everyone is waiting for with excitement, is the cutting of the Vasilopita cake, which is a Lucky New Year’s cake. Why is it called lucky? Because there’s a coin hidden inside it. Whoever gets the coin in their slice, is the person receiving the best luck for the New Year. There’s a ritual in cutting the cake:) The eldest member of the family or the host of the New Year’s Eve party is cutting the cake and serving the slices. First, he makes the sign of the cross on top of the cake. Then, there are a number of slices that are reserved. These may vary, according to local customs or family tradition.

Usually, the first slice is cut for Jesus, the next one for the household and the next one for Saint Basil. Some people also cut a slice for Virgin Mary or the Poor. These slices are reserved but not thrown away. They are simply eaten last, by family members the next days. The next slices are all cut and distributed among the family members first and then the rest of the guests. Whoever gets the coin in his or her slice, is the person who receives the best of luck for the New Year. It’s not uncommon to give money are a gift to this person as well. If the coin is inside one of the first, reserved slices though, the luck is supposed to be equally divided among the people present. Isn’t that a lot of fun?

The pie is named “Vasilopita” after Saint Basil of Caesarea. The Greek “Santa Claus” is Saint Basil, called Agios Vasilis. Saint Basil was a very generous bishop and a great philanthropist who lived in Minor Asia (modern day Turkey). He was a thin, kind hearted man, who helped everyone in need, especially the poor. St. Basil was very compassionate and also established the first orphanage ever recorded in history. Since he was so generous, he is associated with joy and happiness, that’s why a blessed New Year is related to his story and the New Year’s lucky cake is named after him.

The Vasilopita lucky cake has many different versions. The oldest one is a sweet bread, scented with various spices, like anise. The most common one nowadays, is a spongy, fluffy cake, usually scented with orange or lemon zest. Some people also like to add liquor, like brandy or bitter almond liqueur (amaretto). Others add mahleb or Chios mastic for extra flavor. There are versions with ground almonds or ground walnuts as well. The topping may be flaked almonds, powdered sugar or a classic glaze.

The recipe we are sharing here is Panos’ mom Eleni (Helen), which is very old and is basically a wonderful orange flavored fluffy cake, topped with lots and lots of powdered sugar. The photo with the old notepad has the actual hand writing of his mom back from when she was in her teens. It’s a fool proof recipe which we’re using ourselves to this day and has never failed us. It makes for an aromatic large cake, to serve up to 20 people.

The best part of this cake is that’s also great as a snack in the next days. We love to serve this with coffee or tea. Also try to spread some Nutella on a slice; it’s a combination made in heaven!

So let’s see how to make this Greek New Year’s Lucky Cake: Vasilopita! Wishing you all a happy, prosperous, healthy and inspiring New Year!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.6oz / 1.1lb (4 cups) all purpose flour, sifted
- 250g / 9oz (2 sticks and 1/4) butter, cut in cubes and softened (room temperature)
- 450g / 15.8oz / 1lb (2 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
- 6 medium sized eggs, yolks separated from whites, in room temperature
- 9g / 0.3oz (3 teaspoons) baking powder
- 5g / 0.17oz (2 teaspoons) orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 250ml (1 cup) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting the cake

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Preparation:

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 25x6cm/10x2.5in spring form pan.

Divide the eggs into yolks and whites (pic. 1). In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar (pic.2) for 8-10 minutes, using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, on medium-high speed.

You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl at least once, to make sure everything is being well mixed (pic.3). Once creamy and fluffy (pic. 4), the butter mix is ready.

Add the zest and the orange juice (pic. 5). Continue mixing for a few seconds to incorporate. While the mixer is on, slowly add the yolks. Allow each yolk to be incorporated before adding the next one (pic. 6).

Once everything is nicely combined (pic. 7) stop and empty the mixture into another large bowl. Clean the original mixer bowl and beaters thoroughly. They are needed again later on. Pat everything dry. In another bowl, mix the flour with the salt and the baking powder (pic. 8).

Add half of the flour mixture into the butter-sugar-eggs mixture (pic. 9). Mix well with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. Add the milk (pic. 10), and again, mix well with the rubber spatula until everything it's incorporated.

Add the rest of the flour (pic. 11) and mix well to combine (pic. 12). Preheat the oven at 170C / 340F (convection oven - fan assisted baking).

Whisk the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks are formed (pic. 13). Take half of this meringue and add it to the bowl with the cake mixture (pic. 14). Fold into the mixture, but don't overmix. Once incorporated, add the rest of the meringue and again, fold into the mixture.

Empty the bowl into the prepared pan (pic. 15). Take a washed, clean coin and wrap it in aluminum foil (pic. 16).

Place into the mixture (pic. 17).

Bake in the middle oven rack for 1 hour, or more; until baked through. Check if ready by inserting a knife into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's ready.

Top the cake by sprinkling lots of powdered sugar.

Tips:

1. Use a small grater and take off only the rind of the orange's skin. Be careful not to take the white pith as well, as it is bitter.
2. Remove the butter from the fridge at least a couple of hours before using it. This will allow it to soften. Cutting it into cubes helps as well.
3. One of the most important tips for meringue: The bowl you will use to beat the egg whites must be very clean. To achieve this, wipe it with a paper towel dipped in vinegar, to eliminate any fat residue.
4. Depending on the oven (how even the temperature is inside it) some people may get domed cakes. To avoid a domed cake you can also try to bake at a slightly lower temperature, 160C/325F. It will take a bit more to bake, but you will reduce the risk for crackings and a dome in the middle of the cake. Tapping the batter on the counter to release trapped bubbles before baking may also help. If you still get a dome in the middle of your cake, don't worry! Use a serrated knife and cut it off, horizontally. Then cover the top with lots of icing sugar (or your preferred frosting) :)

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Oven Baked Meatballs with Roasted Potatoes

littlecookingtips — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:17:23 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

1058

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

What a great season to get inspiration from! The fall is here, with all its beautiful colors. We are so glad that we’ll get to taste all the wonderful vegetables of the season, once again. An abundance of pumpkins and squash, carrots and cabbage, potatoes and beets, cauliflower and broccoli, lettuce and young onions. Fresh herbs like fennel and dill are back on the table, our pots and pans adding flavor and color.

What a joy it is going for a walk in the fall. Exploring new places in the countryside is truly magical during this season. The explosion of colors in parks, gardens and groves is a feast for the senses. It regenerates and makes one happier, putting a smile on one’s face.

Of course we couldn’t miss visiting again our family’s garden in Evia (also known as Euboea) island, to experience this wondrous transformation. Getting back in touch with our true roots; touching the soil and smelling the rain in the ground creates a feeling we wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

It was so wonderful to see the new plants in the garden. To see the new fruits ripening on the tree branches. To see the olives, ready to be harvested for the winter.

As the nature is getting ready for the new winter season, it was time for us as well, to get back to blogging, after a few months’ absence. We missed all of you out there, and we missed sharing our passion for real, homemade cooking.

One of the first recipes we’d love to show you is a rustic, delicious and easy Greek food which is perfect for any Sunday meal with your family. During the last season, we published a traditional recipe for Greek meatballs (keftedes or keftedakia), which are fried and usually served with French fries or Greek baked potatoes, a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki on the side. As it turned out, this worked really well for so many of our readers and soon became one of our most popular ground beef recipes in the blog.

Taking this into account, we felt that we had to share another version of a Greek meatball recipe (keftedes), only this time they are baked in the oven with potatoes. The inspiration for the recipe came from a real life experience, a couple of winters ago. We have always loved the flavor and aroma of fenugreek.

Fenugreek is a plant whose leaves and seeds are often encountered in the ingredients list of an Indian recipe. It’s also used to flavor cured meats like pasturma. Even though it contains the term “-greek” in its name, we didn’t find fenugreek in modern Greek recipes or meals our mothers cooked while we were growing up. Nor was it used in foods prepared in restaurants.

Well, a couple of winters ago, Panos’ yiayia (grandma) Katina while sitting by the fireplace was sharing her memories of old recipes and ingredients she used to cook with, back in the 50s, when she was in her teens. Between others, she mentioned “tsimeni”, a word we once heard before. She started to describe how this spice was used in old recipes which she cooked back in the day and how it is still used today in…pasturma!

Since we love pasturma, we looked up “tsimeni” as soon as we heard that. Apparently, tsimeni was a word for a paste whose main ingredient is fenugreek, also called trigonella in Greek (or moshositaro, meaning fragrant wheat!). Looking more into trigonella, we discovered that it was a plant used in Southeastern Europe for millennia. So there was something Greek in fenugreek after all!

Unfortunately, perhaps because of its strong flavor and aroma, it was abandoned in the last decades, to the point that most Greeks (ourselves included) had no idea what it was. So, we had to experiment and try fenugreek in many Greek recipes. The end result was a variety of delicious dishes and marinades. For instance, try to add some fenugreek in a lemony chicken marinade, along with dry oregano. You’ll be surprised by the delicious result.

Back to our homemade meatballs now; as mentioned, we wanted to share another easy meatball recipe (keftedes). One of our most successful uses of fenugreek is in keftedes. Just like with biftekia (Greek burgers) which are also baked in the oven, these Greek meatballs are a great idea for a Sunday lunch. This is a food that’s even better when shared with your family and friends.

Our memories are filled with our parents hosting a Sunday lunch, with our cousins, aunts and uncles, under a gorgeous sun. Even on the coldest days of the fall, we are blessed with lots of sunshine here in Greece; and sharing a table with mezedes (appetizers), oven baked meatballs (or biftekia burgers) and good wine with your family, is truly warming for the soul. You probably have similar memories as well, having experienced magical moments like that.

In this recipe, we baked the meatballs on a bed of potatoes. Those golden wedges are slowly roasted in olive oil, enhanced with the citrus flavor of the coriander, the spicy taste of the cumin and the mild ginger-like taste of the turmeric. If you’re reading this blog often, you are already familiar with our obsession for turmeric. Turmeric adds a wonderful color and enhances the taste of every food it's added to. If you don’t have any turmeric, you can also add a little mustard instead, for a different, but equally delicious result.

The potatoes in this recipe are roasted until tender and soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. And their flavor is truly unique. Even if you don’t want to have meat, you can try and just bake the potatoes of this recipe. You can serve them then with feta and/or tzatziki, for a delicious vegetarian meal.

Keftedes and potatoes are best served with a fresh salad on the side. We often serve this dish with a simple lettuce and vinaigrette salad, or coleslaw. It’s also great with a horiatiki Greek salad and tzatziki.

If you want to serve something totally different and delicious, perhaps for Thanksgiving, this recipe is something you should probably look into; served with fragrant mashed carrots on the side, this is maybe one of the most delightful choices.

Full of aroma, filling and rustic, these oven baked meatballs are among the best comfort foods you can try. Plus they’re very versatile, since you can add or substitute the spices according to your liking, and create countless variations of your own. The possibilities are endless.

Another advantage of this recipe is that it’s a great make ahead recipe. You can easily prepare it a day before, allow it to cool to room temperature and then cover the pan with film and store it in the fridge. The next day, you simply remove the film, pop it in the oven for 15 minutes in 200C/390F and you’re ready to serve! Do not reheat in microwaves though; baked potatoes are tastier (and still crunchy on the outside) if you reheat them in a conventional oven.

So let’s see how to make these beautiful oven baked meatballs!

Ingredients:

For the meatballs(keftedes):
- 500gr / 17.oz / 1lb ground beef*
- 100gr/3.5oz (2 slices) bread, preferably stale
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (you can add a spicy Dijon if you prefer)
- 1.5-2 teaspoons ground fenugreek**
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper

*You can also use ground turkey for a leaner version or ground lamb for stronger flavor
**If you can't find fenugreek anywhere then try fennel (in any form, a small minced piece of the bulb, toasted seeds, fresh chopped fronds) for a different but equally interesting result

For the potatoes:
- 1kg / 2.2lb medium sized potatoes (3-4 potatoes depending on their size), peeled
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric*
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 375ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
- salt

*If you don't have turmeric, you can also use 1tablespoon of mustard

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Preparation:

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (pic. 1), and do the same with the two halves (pic. 2). Then cut them horizontally to form wedges (pic. 3).

Put the potatoes in a baking pan and add the olive oil (pic. 4) and the spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper, salt). Mix well/toss with your hands to coat the potatoes with the oil and the spices (pic. 5). Set aside.

Remove the crust from the bread slices and cut into chunks (pic. 6). Dense, stale bread is far better for this step. Add the bread chunks into a food processor and pulse to create breadcrumbs (pic. 7). Sometimes (depending on the bread), you may need to shake the food processor a bit, to get the process started.

At this point preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius/390 Fahrenheit. If using convection oven (fan baking) set at 180 degrees C / 370 F.

Add the breadcrumbs, the ground beef, the egg, the olive oil, the mustard and the fenugreek in a large bowl (pic. 8). Season with salt and pepper. Knead, using your hands, for 2-3 minutes. When everything is well incorporated, shape large meatballs with your palms (pic. 9). They don't have to be perfect, don't worry. This is a classic rustic recipe, where imperfections are perfect! :)

Arrange the meatballs on top of the potatoes and cover the pan with foil (be thorough).
Bake in the middle oven rack for 1 hour.

Then remove the foil, and keep baking for another 30 minutes (depending on how golden or brown you like the potatoes).

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Serve with a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki and/or a Greek beetroot spread (pantzarosalata)
2. Feel free to try other types of ground meat as well, like lamb or turkey (or mixes of ground meat). This recipe is especially good if you’re looking to make turkey meatballs.
3. If you cook for more than four, make sure to double (or triple) the ingredients, as this recipe is just for four portions.
4. If you prepare this meal a day ahead, store in the fridge (covered with film) and reheat in a conventional oven for 15 minutes (at 200C/390F) the next day.

Meal:

Method:

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Spicy

Easy cheesy baked leeks in Bechamel sauce: the meatless Monday recipe that will make you forget about meat!

littlecookingtips — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 15:35:21 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou

Calories (per serving):

756

Servings:

serves 6

Cooking Time:

10 minutes

Like we mentioned in our last post, the winter finally came to Greece. This finally happened just before the arrival of 2016 (Happy New Year to all of you guys!). You see, in Christmas day, we had lots of sun and high temperatures, just like in autumn, which was rather annoying! So, on the New Year's Eve, not only this had changed, but we did get some snow as well! It was so beautiful, waking up in the New Year and seeing this white blanket of snow that had fallen, right outside the windows. Snowing is rare in Athens; it only occurs in the north of the city maybe once or twice per year and only lasts for a couple of days each time. So you can imagine how happy we both were!

As you may have already guessed, yes, we went to Evia as well. We spent Christmas there, and had the opportunity to enjoy all the seasonal produce. We enjoyed some lettuce, young onions, arugula, endives, dill, parsley, fennel, leeks, beets, broccoli, cabbage, oranges, lemons, clementines and many more, fresh, organic treasures. The earth can give back so much if you take the time and respect it.

Since we were there, we had the chance to visit one of our favorite mountain villages of the island; Steni. This is where those photos in the post were taken. Also known as Steni Dirfyos, this is a beautiful place in the slopes of mount Dirfi. The summit (1743m/5718ft) is close to the village, making it the ideal base for hiking and climbing. In the weekends, when there's more people visiting, you can see yayades (grandmas) selling some wonderful local products in the village, like pine and wildflower honey, traditional pasta, dry herbs, herbal tea and mushrooms. We've tried all of those and all are truly amazing. Pure, excellent quality stuff.

The place is also known for its taverns and grills, serving pit roasted lamb and pork and other grilled delicacies. Imagine having enjoyed the small mountain town charm, being misty and cold outside and you're sitting by a tavern's fireplace, listening to the cracking of the burning logs, while having some pork steaks, tzatziki, feta, fresh French fries and olive oil-oregano grilled bread with a good Greek red wine. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? It's also amazing in the summer, when the place is naturally cool, and you can enjoy those treats under the sycamores. We're daydreaming once again, aren't we?

Having mentioned the Greek wine, this period we also discovered many new Greek labels that are truly amazing. 'Tis (was) the season, after all, right?:) You need to check out the reds Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro, and the whites Assyrtiko, Moschofilero, Savatiano and Roditis. We can start writing some articles and propose a few of our favorite Greek labels in the future if you like though. It's something we're still thinking about; let us know if you're interested in the comments below.

As you imagined, we ate lots and lots of food in the Holiday season, had lots of good wine, and -of course- enjoyed MANY kourabiedes and melomakarona. We also baked Panos' mom old family recipe for vasilopita (this will be our post for the Holidays next year) which was amazing! It makes for a fluffy, moist cake, with a unique vanilla-orange scent. Suffice to say, we devoured the whole thing within 3 to 4 days! So yep. We gained some extra pounds and are now struggling to lose some of them (and failing miserably!) :)

One of the things we brought back from Evia, were the fresh leeks. We love leeks ourselves and we already had a recipe on the blog, which was shared when we first started so naturally, most of you guys missed it. It was "hidden" as an old post, popping out here and there (in the "See also" section and embarrassing us with its awful photo) and we've always wanted to rewrite that one, to do it some justice.

So here it is (again): leeks au gratin! What is this dish about? It's a recipe for leeks in a creamy sauce, a vegetarian leek casserole we LOVE to bake during the fall and winter! If you're looking for a recipe for baked leeks with cream or simply want some cheesy baked leeks, then look no more. You have arrived at your destination:) We honestly cannot describe how amazing these creamy leeks are.

Here's what we do; we cut and wash the leeks thoroughly. We will mostly use the white part in this recipe. You can wash and freeze the green part for stocks or other recipes requiring it. Using the white part of 4-5 large leeks, we slice them in half lengthwise and then vertically in half-moons, and then put them in a large bowl of water to wash. We finally rinse them in a colander and they're ready to use. Here's a video showing you how to clean and cut leeks in case you've never tried it before.

So, after preparing them, we cook them in olive oil until soft, add some wine, and after most of the juices have evaporated, we transfer them to a casserole dish, mix them with dill, cheese and béchamel sauce, top them with some more cheese and bake them. The result is a delicious leeks and cheese recipe you will use again and again. It's one of our favorite recipes for baked leeks with cheese, and everyone is elated when we bring it to family gatherings and dinners with friends. Of course, that being the case, every time someone asked for the recipe, so eventually we wrote it down and shared it in our newborn blog back in 2012.

We honestly cannot stress how yummy these easy, cheesy leeks are. The cheese we used was Dubliner. We think that it's the best choice for this dish. Other suitable choices would be a combination of sweet graviera (like graviera from Naxos) for the leeks, with some grated kefalotyri on top, for the crust. If you can't get any of those, you can also use some sharp cheddar with the leeks and a little grated parmesan for the crust.

Keep in mind, that even though they're rich and delicious, baked leeks in cream sauce are also vegetarian. This makes it a perfect choice for Meatless Mondays or if you want to lay off the meat for a while. You won't miss it all. So let's see how to cook some yummy, creamy leeks!

Ingredients:

- 1kg/17oz/2lb cleaned leeks (4-5 leeks), mostly white part, cut into half-moon slices (approx. 1cm/0.5in thick)*
- 55-65gr/2-2.3oz (about 1 cup) dill, finely chopped
- 125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium sized eggs, beaten
- 300gr/10.5oz Dubliner cheese, grated **
- 250ml (1 cup) white wine
- salt and pepper

*4-5 uncleansed whole leeks weigh almost twice as much when you buy them, they'll be about 2kb/4lb
**You can also use graviera or sharp cheddar for the leeks

For the creamy topping (Béchamel sauce):

- 75gr/2.6oz (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon or 8 tablespoons in total) all-purpose flour
- 100gr butter/3.5oz (7 tablespoons) butter
- 750ml (3 cups) milk, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, powdered
- 55-80gr/2-2.8oz Dubliner cheese, grated ( for the crust) ***

***You can also use kefalotyri or parmesan

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Preparation

Use mostly the white part of the leeks. Wash them thoroughly; slice them in half lengthwise and then vertically in half-moons (pic. 1) and place them in a large bowl of water (pic.2). Stir. The dirt will sit on the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the chopped leeks with your hands and place them in a colander (pic.3 , don’t empty the bowl into the colander, you don’t want to put the dirt on the leeks again). Rinse them thoroughly. The leeks are now ready for the recipe! Here's a video showing you exactly how to clean and cut the leeks in case you've never tried it before.
Put the olive oil in a large skillet (don't use nonstick)/saucepan, and place it over medium to high heat. When hot, add the leeks (pic. 4) and sauté for 10 minutes until soft.

Pour the wine (pic. 5) and increase the heat. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until most of the wine is evaporated, and the final result is relatively drier. Empty the saucepan into a casserole dish/baking pan (pic. 6)

Add the dill (pic. 7). Stir well and leave it aside for 4-5 minutes to cool down. Keep the saucepan aside; you’ll use it for the Béchamel as well. Preheat your oven at 180C/350F. Add the eggs (pic. 8), stir and add salt and pepper. Be careful adding the salt, because of the salty cheese that’ll be added.

Add the cheese (pic. 9) and mix. Leave it aside to prepare the cheesy Béchamel sauce. Add the butter (pic 10) in the saucepan and place over medium heat

Once melted, add the flour (pic. 11). Whisk continuously until you get a thick result (a paste). Slowly start adding the milk (pic. 12) and continue whisking.

When all the milk has been added, remove from heat. You’ll get a creamy, smooth sauce (pic. 13). Add the nutmeg powder and give it a final stir. Add the sauce into the casserole/baking dish on top of the leeks mixture (pic. 14).

Spread evenly on the surface, and sprinkle with the cheese (pic. 15). Place in the middle oven rack, and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Use the white part of the leeks, the green part is a little bitter. You can wash and freeze the green part for other recipes.

2. If you want a very crispy top, you must use finely grated cheese and add a few breadcrumbs as well.

3. If you can’t find Dubliner you can use a combination of graviera (for the leeks), and grated kefalotyri on top (for the crust). If you can't get any of those, you can also use sharp cheddar (for the leeks) and a little grated parmesan (for the crust).

4. You can also use a sweeter white wine or a rosé wine in this recipe.

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Method:

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Healthy

Low Calories/Diet

Vegetarian

Easy homemade cinnamon cookies

littlecookingtips — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:25:08 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou

Calories (per serving):

Servings:

12+ slices/pieces

Cooking Time:

One of the things we've learned this autumn is that sometimes the harder you search for something, the less likely you'll find it, especially in this economy. As you may know from our previous post, we're looking for a new place to move into, but nothing good came up so far.

So, it seems we'll be staying at the same apartment for the winter (after all, who wants to move in the winter, during the Holiday season!). We won't let this bring us down of course! :)

We will keep cooking and doing all the things that make us happy! As a couple, we always try to have a positive attitude and see the good side of things. Well, one of the good sides of staying at the same place is that we'll continue to live close to a wonderful grove where we often take long walks. As you may see from the photos in this post, the place has pines, sycamores and even a small vineyard!

While walking you can listen to the birds singing, enjoy the smell of the trees and see all the wonderful colors of the autumn in the leaves. You may stumble upon a turtle here and there, mushrooms popping up from the ground, bushes of wild thyme with tireless bees around them... This is really a place to relax and get in touch in nature while staying within the city limits.

The autumn always make us crave for comfort food and one of the things we love is baking cinnamon cookies. Greece has its own versions of cookies which are called koulourakia. There are many variations of those, but all of them are crispy, with the exception of moustokouloura (yes we know; how the heck is any non-Greek supposed to pronounce that!), which are made with grape must and may also be soft and chewy.

So, we grew up with crispy cookies ourselves and aren’t big fans of chewy soft cookies. Don't worry if you like them this way though, there's a trick; if you keep the time suggested in this recipe, your cookies will be crispy, but if you prefer them softer, simply reduce the baking time by 5 to 6 minutes (depending on your oven of course).

This is actually an older, easy cinnamon cookie recipe, which is perfect for those who aren't used to baking and want to make their first batch of cookies. We posted this recipe a couple of years ago and it was very popular, but both the text and the photo were…well…let’s just say we weren’t very proud of them. It was of the posts we had on our list for a redo. So this time we'll show you how to make cinnamon cookies from scratch, with clear, easy to follow, instructions, so you won't have to worry about a thing.

These are cinnamon cookies without eggs and only contain the essential ingredients of the basic cookie dough: butter, sugar, flour and baking powder. To those we added cinnamon (we LOVE this spice, plus it's good for your body) and a little brandy. Almost all the alcohol will be vanished while baking. Feel free to leave it out though, if you want to share those cookies with your kids and add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract instead. We don't have any children (yet) ourselves, so we added the brandy with a big smile on our faces :)

You can also make those cookies with brown sugar; it won't mix with the butter very well, but you don't have to worry, as the sugar will melt during baking.

Make sure to refrigerate this dough for 20 minutes before using it. It will make it easier to handle and you'll be able to cut the cookies without any issues. As for rolling it out, you can either do that with your hands, by pressing with your palms in an outward direction from the center of the dough, or use a -dusted with flour- rolling pin. Do not press the pin hard on the dough; roll it gently over to spread it. Then, you can use a cookie cutter or even a glass to cut the cookies and place them on a lined with parchment baking pan/tray. Make sure to leave some space around each cookie (about an inch) as they'll expand while baking.

This recipe is for 25-30 cookies (depending on how large you cut them), so you'll either bake those in the same pan/tray in two sequential batches, or you'll bake them at the same time in two pans/trays (in this case switch them over halfway through).

Your home will smell amazing while those are baking; the cinnamon aroma will make it very hard to wait, but don't open the oven door often, you know this isn't right! Right? :) And the -even hardest- part is waiting for a few minutes after you remove them from the oven, while they cool in a rack. But after part is also over...pure heaven! Yummy goodness in each bite! We love dunking those cookies in hot coffee of warm milk; they soak it up and become even more amazing!

So let’s finally see how to make these wonderful cookies!

Ingredients:

- 200gr/7oz (1 cup) granulated sugar

- 170gr/6oz butter or margarine (1 1/2 stick or 3/4 cup), in room temperature

- 250gr/9oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour

- 60ml (1/4 cup) brandy

- 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder

- 6gr/0.4oz (2 teaspoons) baking powder

- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (for serving, optional)

- a little flour to dust the surface and handle the dough

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Preparation:

Add the sugar and the butter in a large bowl (pic. 1) and whisk using a handheld or kitchen stand mixer. It's better to leave the butter out of the fridge for half an hour before using it, to allow it to soften. Always start the mixer at a low speed and gradually increase it. Use circular motions to combine the materials easier. Whisk for 8-10 minutes. The end result should be a soft, smooth mixture (pic. 2).

At this point, lower the speed and add the brandy, the baking powder and the cinnamon (pic. 3). Whisk at low speed for a few seconds, until they are incorporated into the mixture. Start adding the flour, one tablespoon at a time (pic. 4).

Once you have added half the flour, remove the mixer. Continue adding the rest of the flour, mixing with a spatula, until all of it is incorporated into the dough (pic. 5). Cover with film and put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on a clean, flat surface, also put some on your hands; empty the bowl with the dough on the surface (pic. 6).

Using an -also sprinkled with flour- rolling pin (or your palms) flatten the dough to about 1cm/0.5in thickness (pic. 7). Don’t press the pin hard on the dough. Gently roll it over. Using a 5cm/2in diameter cookie cutter -or even a glass of the same diameter- cut the cookies from the dough (pic. 8).

Start placing them on a lined with parchment baking tray/pan (pic. 9). When you cut the first 15 cookies, mold the remaining dough into a ball and roll it flat (on surface dusted with flour again) to cut the rest of the cookies from it.

You’ll make two batches, in order to leave enough space between the cookies (about 15 cookies will be placed on each sheet). Don’t overcrowd the pan/tray, and make sure there’s at least 3-4cm/1 inch of space between them. As mentioned in the beginning of the post, you'll either bake those in the same pan/tray in two sequential batches, or you'll bake them at the same time in two pans/trays (in this case switch them over halfway through, to allow them to bake evenly).

Bake on preheated oven, in 180 C/360 F, for 18 minutes, using the fan setting. Remove (pic. 10) them and let them cool for at least 5 minutes on a rack (pic. 11) before serving them. You can also dust them with some caster sugar.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can also use brown sugar instead of granulated. Don’t worry if it doesn’t combine perfectly with the butter, it will melt during baking.
2. In order to sprinkle some caster sugar, you can use a small strainer.
3. Keep them in an airtight container or a cookie box/jar, lined with parchment. They will keep for 5 days, but you probably won’t be able to let them in the box for that long! :)

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Creamy Spicy Hummus and Paprika Pita Chips

littlecookingtips — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 10:36:47 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

609

Servings:

serves 6

Cooking Time:

This fall has been really tough (and we know the same goes for many of you). Long hours at the office, plus we’re looking for a new place to move into… it’s been really exhausting!

So, we had to “escape” to Evia for a couple of days, to enjoy the garden and take a breath (click here to learn more about the place)! The fall is already transforming the place, with green, yellow and red colors. Some of the summer plants are still productive (like the peppers and the eggplants), because of the mild September. But the weather hasn’t been that warm in the last week; it started raining and it seems that a temperature drop is just around the corner.

Panos’ parents have already planted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, spinach, lettuce, arugula and other greens. Walking between the rows of the vegetables and the trees and simply looking at them is enough to take all the stress away!

A well in the garden and the surrounding area

Since we were tired, we didn’t want to cook something fancy that would take long. We wanted to enjoy a tasty and healthy snack. That’s why we made a delicious hummus with some pita chips on the side. Hummus is not a usual spread/dip here in Greece. Even though we love garbanzo beans AND all types of spreads, hummus is an unknown dip to most people here. Perhaps the reason is the variety of the other available spreads, like skordalia (garlic spread), tzatziki (yogurt-garlic condiment), fava (split pea pudding), pepper dips (like this one), pantzarosalata (beets and yogurt spread), taramosalata (cod roe spread), melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) and many many more.

The oranges are still green, but the eggplants are loaded with produce

This hummus is also NOT a traditional one; the classic hummus has tahini (which isn’t one of our favorite ingredients to work with). Ours is a creamy hummus with Greek yogurt and spices! The yogurt makes this spread smoother and the taste of the garbanzo beans milder. In order to make it more interesting, we added some of our favorite Indian spices: turmeric, garam masala and smoked paprika! If you can’t find garam masala, don’t worry, you can make this at home and use it in stews, dips and countless other foods. We have the instructions under the list of ingredients.

The best part is that this dip is also healthy since four of the key ingredients are the Greek yogurt, the garbanzo beans, the turmeric and the olive oil! So, this is an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and nutritious, vitamin-rich food! Did we tell you that it’s also gluten free? Yep! Just skip the next part, which is the pita chips and choose a gluten free alternative ;)

Panos with our “nephews”, Bruno on the left and Melita on the right.

For the pita chips we used a type of pita we call “Arabic” here in Greece. They’re very similar to Naan and are used in bakeries, as an alternative to tortilla wraps. They’re served in grill houses, stuffed with gyros, souvlaki and other meats and veggies. If you can’t find thin pitas abroad, then you can use any type of pitas you prefer like pocket-less pitas. If they’re thicker, simply bake them a bit more, until they’re crunchy.

We made a simple mix with olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika in order to add flavor to the chips. We brushed the pitas with this mix (just one side of them), cut them in triangle wedges and baked them for 12 minutes. The result was amazing; they were the perfect “vessel” to scoop the hummus off the plate!

One more fantastic thing about this recipe is that you can make this ahead. In fact, you SHOULD make this ahead, to allow the flavors to develop. If you make this hummus a day before, it’ll be much tastier and the texture will be better as well! So, if you’re having people over, or you want a healthy snack when you’re watching sports or your favorite TV show/movie, go ahead and try this one out! We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

The magic moment

So let’s see to make this delicious treat!

Ingredients:

For the pitas:

- 4 medium sized (or 2 large) thin Middle Eastern style pitas*

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

- 1/2 tablespoon paprika (preferably smoked)

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* if you can’t find thin pitas then use tortillas instead. You can also use Naan or Greek style pitas (for souvlaki and gyros). The Greek pitas are a bit thicker and they’ll need to bake for a few more minutes.

For the hummus:

- 500gr / 17oz / 1lb cooked or canned chickpeas*

- 200gr / 7oz Greek yogurt

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 2-2 1/2 teaspoons garam masala **

- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

- 1 teaspoon paprika (preferably smoked)

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

*if using dry chickpeas you will need about 220gr / 8oz / 0.5lb (about 1 cup). Soak them in cold water overnight. The next day, drain and let them simmer in 8 cups of water (2lt) for 1,5-2 hours, until they’re soft. You can also cook them for 25-30 minutes in a pressure cooker, to save time and energy!

** You can make your own garam masala (it’s very easy). Mix: 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. Store in sealed container in a dry place.

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Preparation

Pita chips

Add all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl (pic. 1). Whisk for a few seconds (pic. 2).

Brush each pita bread (just one side) with the mix from the bowl (pic. 3). Stack each oiled pita on top of the others.Hold the pitas and cut them into 8 triangle shaped wedges (pic.4).

Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet (pic. 5). Bake in preheated oven at 200 C / 390 F for 12-15 minutes, until they’re crispy. Preferably, use the oven fan setting. Remove and set aside to cool, for a few minutes. Very easy, wasn’t it? Let’s move on to the hummus now.

Hummus: Drain the cooked garbanzo beans and add them in a food processor. Add the lemon juice (pic. 6).

Add the olive oil (pic. 7). Pulse for a few seconds to get a thick, smooth result. Empty the food processor’s contents in a large bowl and add the Greek yogurt, the garlic, the turmeric, the paprika, the garam masala, a little salt and pepper (pic. 8).

Stir with a large spoon until all the ingredients are blended. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to develop.

Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the pita chips! Deee-licious!Kali Oreksi!

Tips:

1. This is the perfect appetizer/snack if you have people over. Plus, it’s healthy!

2. it’s better if you make the hummus in the previous day. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge. The next day, it will taste even greater!

3. You can store the pita chips in a sealed container like a cookie box and serve them in the next day as well.

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Legumes / Pulses / Rice

Dough/Pies/Pizzas

Special Characteristics:

Greek Burgers with Feta and Olives

littlecookingtips — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 20:39:38 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

528

Servings:

serves 4

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

Here in Greece, we love burgers. But they’re quite different from the US version; plain ground meat is rarely used for burgers.

The traditional Greek burgers are beef patties called biftekia/mpiftekia (pronounced beef-tek-ya). They are made by mixing minced meat with herbs and/or spices, onion, bread and olive oil.

Just like similar Greek recipes, there are countless variations for biftekia as well. Each family and each restaurant or tavern serves its own version. But the above mentioned ingredients are always included in the patties! The ground meat is usually beef, but mixtures of beef and pork or beef and lamb are also not uncommon.

The authentic Greek bifteki recipe includes ground beef, onion, bread, olive oil and some herbs like parsley, oregano or mint. Sometimes all these herbs and even more are added. Those are the burgers you’ll find in any Greek tavern if you ever visit Greece during the summer. They’re usually served with freshly cut French fries. People also order tzatziki and horiatiki Greek salad as side dishes. If you 've never tried Greek burgers before, you really don’t know what you’re missing! IThey are perfect for any backyard BBQ. The flavor and the aroma when you grill those delicious patties on a charcoal grill (the classic way of grilling meat in Greece) are really hard to describe. Simply put, it’s amazing!

Greek burgers are thicker than their US counterparts, and are almost never served in burger buns; they are served with fresh crusty bread slices, often brushed with olive oil and oregano and grilled right next to the burgers for a few minutes. Greek pitas (those used in souvlaki and gyros) are also quite common.

Biftekia can be also baked/grilled in the oven of course and that’s the way our mamades (mommies) used to cook them for us; especially during winter, when BBQ was out of the question. Many times those oven roasted burgers were accompanied by roasted garlic lemon potatoes and a simple lettuce-spring onions-dill salad, with a lemon-extra virgin olive oil dressing.

When you use the oven to cook biftekia, you can either roast them in a baking pan (brushed with olive oil or lined with parchment) or grill them using the oven grate. It’s up to you. If you choose the latter, make sure to put a pan under the grate for any drippings from the patties.

Ten days ago we put five recipes up in a poll. We asked our friends and audience to choose which ones they’d like us to cook next, but never expected such a landslide (44%) in favor of the recipe for Greek burgers. The recipe chosen was a variation of the classic biftekia, enriched with feta and olives!

There are many recipes for feta stuffed burgers, or burgers combined with feta in some other way. The combination is indeed delicious. There are also a few recipes for burgers with olives. This recipe was created one day that we decided to include both the olives and the feta in our beef patties; the result was so delicious we ended up making this again and again, and one day we wrote the recipe down and measured the ingredients to share it with all of you through our blog. It would be a shame not to do so!

Our biftekia recipe include: lots of fresh mint, which is in our humble opinion the key ingredient for Greek burger patties, onion, bread, extra virgin olive oil, a little garlic (you can omit this if you don’t like it) and one egg, which helps keeping the shape of the patties and adds flavor. We also add a little red wine vinegar. This is something common in the Greek cuisine both in biftekia recipes as well as in keftedakia (Greek meatballs) recipes; it helps the ground beef to become a bit fluffier. Plus, the vinegar and the herbs help reducing health risks from grilling the meat in high temperatures.

And of course we added the other two ingredients that make this recipe different from the classic biftekia: Kalamata olives and feta. We prefer to buy whole Kalamata olives and remove the pits ourselves, as they taste better this way. The reason is that the flesh of the olive isn’t exposed directly to the brine like in pitted olives. We also used a good quality barrel-aged feta. This one was cubed in order to incorporate it into the patties, but you can also use crumbled (as long as the crumbs are bit thick and aren’t mashed).

A simple way to serve biftekia is with red onion, mixed with fresh parsley and some ripe tomatoes. Add some pitas and tzatziki and the result is fantastic!
Preparing these delicious Greek beef burgers, with feta and olives is very easy. Let's see how.

Ingredients:

- 500gr/17oz/1lb ground beef

- 60gr/2oz (half medium sized) onion, finely chopped *

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 100gr/4oz bread (about 2 slices from a dense loaf) **

- 5gr/0.2oz (20 leaves) fresh mint, finely chopped

- 60gr/2oz whole Kalamata olives (about 15 olives) ***

- 100gr/4oz feta, cubed or crumbled

- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

- 1 egg

- salt, pepper

* or grated and strained

** if using the classic super market bread (suitable for toast), then use 4 medium sized slices

*** if using pitted olives, then you need 50gr/1.7oz

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Preparation:

Remove the crust from the bread (pic.1). Fill a medium sized bowl with water, add the bread and let it soak (pic. 2).

Slice each olive open (pic.3) and remove the pit (pic. 4). Chop them into small pieces (pic. 5).

Drain the bread (squeeze well with your hands to remove any excess water). Add all the ingredients except the feta in a large bowl: ground beef, onion, garlic, bread, olives, mint, egg, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (pic. 6).

Knead the mixture (pic. 7) for at least 3 minutes. You need to continue mixing even though it seems that everything is incorporated in the first minute. Keep a timer nearby and continue kneading for the 3 minutes mentioned. This is the secret for tasty Greek style burgers (mpiftekia/biftekia).

Add the cubed feta (pic. 8) and fold it into the mixture (pic. 9). Do not overmix here, you simply want to incorporate the feta in the mixture. You don't want to mash it. Cover the bowl with film and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop.

Remove from the fridge and form the burger patties (pic. 10). Keep them in a bowl/plate/pan (pic. 11), cover again with film and put it in the fridge for at another 30 minutes to help them keep their shape.

When this time has passed, you can brush your oven grate with olive oil (pic. 12) and add the burgers (pic. 13).

Put a baking pan under the grate for any drippings and bake in preheated oven, at 200 degrees Celsius/ 390 Fahrenheit, using the fan setting. Bake the patties for 40 minutes flipping them halfway through.

Serve with tzatziki (here's the authentic Greek tzatziki recipe if you want to make some ahead) and/or French fries. You can also serve those with some garlic lemon roasted potatoes, it's a delicious combo!

Ourselves, we like using pitas instead of bread to serve them (like in the photos at the top) and red onion mixed with fresh parsley.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can use any type of bread you like: white bread, whole wheat, multigrain etc.

2. You can also bake them in a pan (brushed with olive oil) or on a pan lined with baking paper.

3.These patties are not as dense as their American cousins, so please be gentle handling them over the grill. Only flip them once with a metal spatula halfway through cooking.

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Greek Pork and Celery Stew (Hirino me Selino)

littlecookingtips — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 08:21:18 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

1196

Servings:

serves 2

Cooking Time:

15 minutes